Philadelphia @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 16, 2013 ) Philadelphia 0, Cincinnati 1
In between a pair of rain delays, the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds engaged in a pitchers’ duel before Tuesday’s game was suspended. The struggling offenses will attempt to warm up in Wednesday’s series finale at Cincinnati after the teams complete the suspended game, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Phillies’ recent offensive futility continued Tuesday when they managed two singles and failed to score a run. Philadelphia, which has scored more than five runs once on the road, has recorded no more than three runs in its last four games overall.
While the Reds can be proud of the performance they received from starter Homer Bailey, they managed only two singles and two walks against Kyle Kendrick, who entered Tuesday allowing opponents to bat .327 against him. When the few opportunities arose for Cincinnati to come up with a key hit, it failed to convert. The Reds have struggled with runners in scoring position over the last week.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Fox Sports Ohio (Cincinnati), TCN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH John Lannan (0-0, 2.77 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (0-0, 6.75)
Lannan has yet to be rewarded for two quality starts, thanks to two runs of support through 13 innings. The 28-year-old left-hander, who has walked only one batter and allowed opponents to hit .178 this season, yielded one run and three hits over six frames in a no-decision during Friday’s 3-1, 10-inning victory over Miami. Lannan is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA against Cincinnati in four career starts, but has not faced the Reds since 2009.
Although Leake has yet to register a decision, the 2009 first-round selection has been fortunate not to record a loss. The 25-year-old Arizona State product surrendered five runs and 10 hits over six innings in a no-decision during Friday’s 6-5 loss at Pittsburgh. Leake, who went 4-5 with a 5.54 ERA at Great American Ball Park a season ago, has struggled mightily in five career starts against the Phillies, going 0-3 with a 9.33 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bailey became the second player in the past 10 seasons to pitch at least eight innings and strike out 10 batters on 90 pitches or fewer (Randy Johnson, 2004).
2. Philadelphia’s starting pitchers have thrown at least six innings while allowing two earned runs or less in each of the last seven games.
3. The Phillies and their opponents have entered the ninth inning with two or fewer combined runs in four of the last five games.
PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Reds 2